Bagan is the city where it is located. The ancient city of bagan in burma

In continuation of our stories about the amazing places of the planet, today I decided to write about a very beautiful city in Myanmar (Burma). I am sure that many of you were not even aware of its existence, as I myself have until today. This is Bagan, or as it is called - the city of a million temples, unique and amazing a nice place with an interesting history.

Bagan is an ancient city in Burma (Myanmar). Initially, the city was named as Arimaddana (City that defeats enemies), also known as Copper, or Scorched Earth

This site was the ancient capital of several kingdoms in Burma, located in the dry central plains of the country 150 kilometers southwest of Mandalay.

Bagan was submitted for inclusion in the UNESCO World Heritage List, but was later excluded. This site is no longer designated as a World Heritage Site, and all this is the fault of the authorities - the military junta of Burma. They rebuilt ancient temples and buildings, ignoring the original architectural styles and using modern materials that bear no resemblance to the original designs. The junta went further by installing a 200-foot fire tower near Bagan, as well as building a highway and a large golf course here.

As always, let's go a little deeper into the history of this place.

The ruins of Bagan cover an area of ​​16 square miles. Over time, Bagan became the capital of the First Burmese Empire, by order of King Piinbya in 874. Most of its buildings were built between 1000-1200 AD. Throughout the long history of this place, rulers have repeatedly changed here.

Later, the monks made Bagan religious and cultural center states, proclaiming Buddhism the state religion

In the 12th and 13th centuries, the city became a truly cosmopolitan center of Buddhist beliefs, attracting monks and students from India, Sri Lanka, as well as the Thai and Khmer kingdoms. In 1287, the kingdom was invaded by the Mongols after refusing to pay tribute to Kublai Khan.


Abandoned by the Burmese king and abandoned by the Mongols, the city ceased to function as a political center, but continued to flourish as a place of Buddhist faith and science

Bagan is located in upper Myanmar, so you can visit it all year round - there is practically no rainy season here, like in the rest of the country. Thousands of tourists come here every day to admire the unique temples and pagodas

Ancient city- one of the richest archaeological sites in South-East Asia... There are 2,230 monuments still preserved here. Approximately 1000 monuments are in ruins, and there were originally approximately 4500. 600 Bagan temples were washed away by the Ayeyarwaddy River during the summer floods

When they say Myanmar, many do not even know which side it is. And this country is a neighbor of the well-known Thailand. Previously, this exotic was called Burma - stuffy and hot, sometimes dusty, but no less desirable. So if you are vacationing in Thailand, we advise you to pay a visit to Myanmar, where there are much fewer travelers, but there are many architectural monuments.

The city of Bagan, built by ancient people, has survived to this day and today, more than ever, attracts the attention of many tourists. It is often called "the city of a thousand temples", although there are actually about four hundred of them, and attracts tourists, beckoning with its special atmosphere.

Amazing Bagan

Today it is a frozen stone city, where the main character is stone buildings - half-spiritualized pagodas, Buddhist temples, stupas. The most beautiful of all the temples in the world are also located here. This city, already asleep forever, in the distant past was the political, cultural and religious center of Burma. Now there are only echoes of the former greatness, to which lovers of sophisticated exoticism strive. The Ayeyarwaddy River - the largest in Myanmar - makes its way past Bagan and brave travelers can get to the cherished city just along it. It is much more interesting to get to this cherished place by the river on a small ferry than to arrive corny by plane or by bus. This river majestically adorns the surroundings and among the ruins will remind you more than once what is eternal and what is passing.

City `s history

In the great old days of this city, the people who lived in it and walked between the temples, felt all their earthiness in comparison with the stunning triumph of these buildings. But now it is exactly the opposite, you do not feel worthless and faded, you are strong and free where everything is already falling apart. But you still do not leave some kind of mystery, the solution to which is not far off.

Watching the shards ancient civilization and you feel like a real archaeologist who found whole city and he is afraid to believe he believes his eyes, so as not to destroy even a small part of these treasures. But I want to continue to participate and open up new horizons.

Mysticism of the city

The ruins have given the surroundings a certain mystical charm. Asian architecture and the abandonment of these places captivate with a certain sophistication, but without the gloominess so inherent in the old ruins. Amazing longing smoothly spread in the local air, and regardless of the time of day. The curls of local temples are strikingly different from any world architectural trends, and only by looking closely at them, you can comprehend a strong difference in the cultures of the West and the East. It will seem that the bend of every structure that surrounds you wants to suggest something or influence your mind.

Observation deck

For the deepest experience, climb higher to see the gorgeous view that opens up. The ascent to the temple site is the number one point for tourists in Bagan. It will take your breath away with delight! When the sun rises, as soon as the first drops of the sun begin to fall on the structure, you will think that the secret has finally been revealed.

But even the view from the very high point will fade compared to flying on hot-air balloon... A flight over the city of temples and ruins, where the ornate tops protrude, is an unforgettable sight. You will not just plunge into the atmosphere, you will feel how it was created.

Unfortunately, not all buildings in the city have survived and have not collapsed over time. Some were restored, but without taking into account their original appearance, which prevented Bagan from entering the UNESCO heritage list. Also, civilization is already beginning to approach here with modern highways and tourist attractions. So hurry to visit this place while mysterious antiquity still reigns in Bagan.

Holidays in Bagan: everyone can afford it

Among all the cities in Myanmar, Bagan is ideal for travelers, regardless of the season. There is no rainy season here, so the city can be explored all year round. The proximity of the tropics affects: the daytime temperature can reach 40 degrees, and at night it drops to 27 ̊С. For a quick tour, visit the most famous revered temples. Everyone loves the Shwesandaw Temple, where a crowd of onlookers gathers every night.

Today's Bagan is conventionally divided into three parts: northeastern, northwestern (Old Bagan) and southwestern (New Bagan). In the northeast, there is the largest selection of budgetary ones, you can literally eat for a penny, but such establishments are located far from the central attractions. In New Bagan they usually stay tourist groups, hotels of a higher class are located here. Old Bagan serves, as a rule, wealthy tourists, housing is expensive here, but they are also located next to architectural monuments.

Life is like an Amazing Journey.

In the valley of the Ayeyarwaddy River, ancient pagodas, temples, sacred caves and stupas keep the memory of the former capital of the Burmese Empire. Today Bagan (Bagan) is called a ghost town. In 849 it was founded by King Anorahta, and already in 1287 it was destroyed by the troops of the Mughal Khan Kublai. Since then, not a single attempt has been made to restore it. The inhabitants, who spent so much energy on the construction of numerous temples and pagodas, left their city, and for hundreds of years it stood in majestic silence.

Today Bagan is a kind of Buddhist Mecca. Pilgrims from all over the country flock here, as well as tourists who are interested in the architecture and culture of ancient Myanmar.

More than 5,000 pagodas are located on the territory of Bagan. Most of them are made of red and white stones, but the most significant, Shwe Zigon and Lokanda Kyaung, are gold plated. They are very popular with pilgrims. The approaches to them are asphalted, and many shopping pavilions are scattered around.

The history of the creation of the Shwe Zigon pagoda is very interesting. The Ceylon king brought from Kandy as a gift to the King of Bagan Anuratha the sacred tooth of the Buddha. The pagoda was built specifically to store the relics, and a white elephant pointed out the site for the construction. Anuratha put a copy of the precious gift on the back of the elephant and said that this shrine would be kept in the place where the elephant would kneel. The king kept his word, and at the place where the elephant knelt down, construction began on the Shwe-Zigon pagoda. But Anuratha's days were numbered, and he managed to build only three terraces of this pagoda. Kiansitha, the king's heir, completed the construction, which, in general, lasted only 7 months and 7 days. The material for the construction of the pagoda was a stone from Mount Tiiyun. At the behest of the master, dozens of subjects were engaged in his extraction. After the construction of the pagoda was covered with gold and to this day it is an unusually beautiful structure. "Shwe-Zigon is famous in the world of people, in the world of spirits and in the world of Brahma" - this is how the completion of the construction of the great pagoda was announced.

Shwe San Da Pagoda is especially popular among tourists. In the evening, climbing to its top, you can watch magnificent sunsets.

In addition to a large number of pagodas, Bagan is also famous for its temples. These buildings, as a rule, have a symmetrical shape and four altars with Buddha statues, which are directed in each direction of the world. The temple caves of Gubyaukzhi are famous for their labyrinths, the walls of which were decorated by the ancient Bagans with frescoes with often completely fantastic subjects.

The temples of Bagan still remember its former rulers. The third king of Bagan, Alaungsitu, built a magnificent temple, the niches for meditation of which had a wonderful view of the city. The king spent a lot of time here and was killed just during meditation by his own son, who wanted to seize the throne of his father.

The amazing temple was built by the Mon king Manuha, who was taken prisoner by the king Aniruda. The architecture of the Manukha temple is represented by three cubes of different sizes. From the inside, the entire square space of the hall is occupied by a ten-meter statue of a seated Buddha. His head rests on the ceiling, his back, elbows and knees props up the walls on all sides. The construction masters were able to convey how closely Buddha was in this conclusion. In the side halls there is the same image of bondage with the help of a Buddha squeezed from all sides, and in the fourth, Buddha is depicted in a state of nirvana, lying in a coffin. But even the coffin is too small for him, and its lid is only a few centimeters from the head of the Buddha. King Manukh, who lost his freedom and spent the rest of his life in captivity in a foreign country, wanted to convey with the help of this building all the bitterness of bondage. Chronicles say that in order to build such an amazing temple, Manukha sold his royal ruby.

The Ananda Temple, named after one of the beloved disciples of the Buddha, is one of the most visited temples in Bagan. It was built in 1091 and is very well preserved to this day. On the walls of the temple are the life of the Buddha in writing, and in the center there are four nine-meter statues of the standing Buddha who has attained nirvana. Once, two of these statues were badly damaged by fire and had to be replaced with copies. Sculptures on the terraces of the temple depict scenes from the jatakas, narratives of the previous births of the Buddha. Legends say that eight monks who were engaged in the construction of the temple were killed after the completion of the work so that a temple like this would not appear anywhere else.

The tallest temple in Bagan - That Bin Yu. The name translates as "Omniscient", this is one of the incarnations of the Buddha. The temple was built in the 12th century by King Alaungsithu. Its terraces offer magnificent views of ancient Bagan. The central staircase, which leads to the temple, is decorated with statues of guards with faces facing east, and inside there is an extraordinary effect of lightness of the structure, which arises from the play of sunlight penetrating through numerous window openings.

Since the time when the Bagan kingdom collapsed, a lot has changed in the city - ponds and ponds have dried up, streets are overgrown with thick grass. And only countless temples and pagodas keep the memory of bygone times.

But in addition to architectural landmarks, local residents have managed to preserve to this day and cultural heritage their ancestors. A characteristic feature of Bagan culture is the puppet theater. After all, the very first theaters in Burma appeared in the 11th century, and these were exactly puppet theaters. The Bagan artists, real virtuosos of their craft, even today give the most interesting performances with beautiful richly dressed dolls.

There is also a place for shopping in the ancient city. Local lacquer factories offer a delightful selection of all kinds of lacquerware. This is one of the most ancient crafts in Bagan. At each factory there is an opportunity to observe the work of the craftsmen - this is a very painstaking work. Each product is created by hand in several stages. The material is mainly bamboo. The finished products are so beautiful and unique that it is almost impossible to leave without a purchase.

Mount Popa, located 60 km southeast of the city, is an amazing attraction in the vicinity of Bagan. Translated from Burmese "Popa" - "blooming". The height of this mountain above sea level is 1518m. In clear weather it can be seen from Bagan itself.

A half-hour climb up the mountain will pay off with magnificent views of Bagan and a deep picturesque canyon that opens up from above. A rather steep staircase to the top of the mountain was built by a Buddhist monk.

This mountain has been especially popular with pilgrims for over 700 years. Legends call it the habitat of spirits. In the Middle Ages, on the festival of the full moon, abundant sacrifices were performed on the top of the mountain.

Besides the fact that the Blooming Mountain is an important religious center, it is also an interesting natural monument - an extinct volcano. After all, a real oasis has formed at its top, which is fed from the inside by about two hundred underground springs.

And the Observation Tower with open and closed observation platforms has become an island of civilization in Bagan. Tourists are offered high-speed elevators, air conditioning, a restaurant with a magnificent panoramic view and many souvenirs made by local artisans.

• Location: near Chawk in Magway County
• Status: archaeological site, excavations in progress
• Square: 104 km²
• Foundation date: mid-late 9th century

Southeast Asia contains many mysteries and beauties. A holiday destination that has not been promoted in the tourist environment, however, it is very famous among archaeologists, historians and cultural experts. For many years, painstaking work has been carried out to study and restore the city of Pagan in the state better known as Burma. This is what our article will be about.

Bagan city in Myanmar

The city of Pagan (aka Bagan) as such does not exist today. it ancient capital kingdom of the same name, located within the borders of the modern state of the Republic of Myanmar near Bagan airport. Geographically, Bagan is located on a dry plateau along the western bank of the Ayeyarwaddy River. Geographically, it is 145 km south-west of the city near the city of Chawk, Magway County. Once the city was a large center of science, culture and religion, but the Mongol invasion changed its course of development, and the city gradually became empty. And the earthquake of 1975 added destruction.

Today, the entire territory of the ancient city of Pagan, which is about 40 sq. km., is the most important archaeological zone of the region, here they bring to the surface and restore more than two thousand ancient pagodas, stupas, temples and monasteries, most of which were built in the XI-XII centuries. The composition of the objects world heritage UNESCO Pagan was not included for political reasons. Despite this, Pagan is almost the main center of pilgrims for the entire Southeast region.

What is interesting about Pagan?

Let's start with the fact that the entire excavation zone is a specially protected area, around which there are several villages: We-chzhi In, Nyaung U, Myinkaba, Old Bagan. Thousands of pagodas and stupas of various sizes are scattered within the perimeter, which is why the city of Pagan is often called the city of temples and chambers.

The most popular and special stupas are Shwezigon and Lokananda Chaun, they keep the teeth of the Buddha, the stupas themselves are gilded, good asphalt paths lead to them, and there are many different trade pavilions around. Not all pagodas made of yellow or red brick are gilded, but this, as a rule, does not affect attendance. Residents of nearby villages are packed with the tourists who have arrived as guides, help them climb the stairs and walk along the corridors.

I must say that every object of the archaeological zone is under protection, even very ruined stupas and pagodas. The vandals are handed over to the local police without regrets, alas, there are many who want to break off a piece of antiquity as a keepsake. Separately, it is worth highlighting the local temples, they are easy to recognize by their symmetrical shape, each of them has exactly four altars and Buddha statues, holy relics and, let's say, caves - labyrinths of corridors decorated with frescoes. Note that the oldest frescoes have only two colors, while the later ones are colorful and multi-colored. By the way, in all of Pagan there are about 4 million images of Buddha alone!

How to get to the city of Pagan?

Of course, the easiest way to get to Pagan is by rented car or taxi according to the coordinates. Moreover, it is more competent to take a guide or tour guide in the city of Mandalay, which is closest to Pagan. Residents of neighboring villages do not always speak English well and are more likely to be guides than guides.

There are several flights from Bagan every day, in total, the flight takes 1 hour and 10 minutes. If you have time, take the tourist boat from Mandalay. The travel time will fly by quickly, but the schedule should be checked at the pier, as flights are not made every day. There are also buses from the cities and Mandalay or from to the city of Pagan, periodically their routes change, so you will have to check the schedule yourself at the city bus station.

Places like Pagan often turn our views on eternity and the meaning of life, on the depth of our experiences and momentary troubles. If you happen to be in, do not save time, visit the ancient city of Pagan.